Ice shower in the morning. How to start taking cold showers in the morning. How cold showers affect the immune system
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A cold shower not only invigorates, but also has amazing beneficial properties that positively affect the entire body.
website collected as many as 10 reasons why you should start taking cold showers today.
A cold shower helps to cope with a bad mood and reduce the level of irritability. The fact is that cold water affects the “blue spot” zone in the brain, which produces the hormone norepinephrine, which is responsible for fighting depression.
Due to the fact that cold water improves the transport of nutrients to the body and saturates the cells with oxygen, you become more attentive. You get less tired and can concentrate on a specific task for longer.
In the morning, for a charge of vivacity, as well as to wake up faster - a cold shower is exactly what you need. It activates cells and blood circulation. Due to this, you feel more strength and energy in yourself to solve important matters.
Regular cold showers train endurance and strength. In addition, a cold shower reduces muscle pain, which is especially helpful if you overdid it in the gym and feel severe muscle pain. Cold will help relieve swelling and repair damaged tissue.
Cold water is a kind of stress for the body, due to which it begins to produce internal heat.
Now you can forget about constantly cold hands and feet and get rid of the problem of excessive sweating.
If you take a cold shower every day, you can not be afraid to catch a cold or get the flu, as a cold shower greatly strengthens your immunity. The thing is that it promotes the production of immune cells - monocytes and lymphocytes. They kill bacteria and viruses, as well as pathogens.
The modern arrangement of houses and apartments provided us with comfort, and a person no longer needed to bathe in cold water. The reason for contact with it can be force majeure in the form of turning off hot water, swimming in open water or rain that did not start at the right time. Our body has completely weaned itself from the cold, and the almost complete absence of this factor has greatly affected our health.
Cold water can have a significant healing effect and bring cheerfulness into our lives. Ancient physicians knew about its healing properties, but only in the 19th century a separate direction appeared in medicine - hydrotherapy. A significant part of such procedures is carried out with the help of cold water, and at home they can be partially replaced with a cold shower. Many have heard about its benefits, but not everyone knows about the mechanisms of its effect on the body. In this article, we will introduce you to 10 reasons that may prompt you to think about the need for such a daily procedure.
Immunity Boost
Dousing with cold water contributes to the prevention of many and. Due to its effect in the blood, the level of monocytes and lymphocytes increases.
The improvement of these blood parameters was discovered by Czech scientists who conducted research on the effect of cold water on the human body. Athletes participated in the experiment. For 60 days they were immersed in cold water (14 ºC). After that, their blood showed an increase in the number of lymphocytes involved in the destruction of viruses and bacteria, and monocytes that process and absorb foreign agents.
Improved thermoregulation
Exposure to cold water is stressful for the body. Such a reaction forces him to produce an additional portion of internal energy to warm the tissues. That is why a cold shower can help people suffering from a constant feeling of cold in the limbs and excessive.
Normalization of blood circulation
To improve blood circulation, such an effective and affordable procedure as a contrast shower can be used. When cold water enters the body, vasoconstriction occurs (vasoconstriction). As a result, the blood begins to circulate faster. Exposure to warm water causes the opposite reaction - vasodilation. With it, the vessels expand, their lumen increases, and the body warms up faster. Such procedures can be used to prevent many vascular pathologies:, etc.
Improving lymph circulation
Lymph, unlike blood, is not pumped by such a powerful pump as the heart. Its movement in the body is provided by muscle contraction. Cold water greatly improves these contractions and the lymph flow becomes faster. As a result, this effect leads to increased immunity and improved metabolism.
Weight loss
Canadian researchers have found that brown fat is activated in the body under the influence of low temperatures. The cells of such fat include a large number of mitochondria, which determine its color. Mitochondria are involved in the utilization of glucose, and the activation of brown adipose tissue contributes to more intensive calorie burning and weight loss.
Deepening the breath
Regular cold showers help deepen your breathing. This is due to the fact that vasoconstriction caused by low temperature requires more heat production, which needs more oxygen. In response to such reactions, the lungs expand, and breathing becomes deeper, since more air is required to fill their volume.
Help in getting rid of depression
A cold shower promotes cheerfulness and good mood. American scientists from the state of Virginia conducted a study on the effect of cold water on patients with depression. During the experiments, it was found that low temperatures activate the blue spot of the brain. This site promotes the production of more of the hormone norepinephrine, which helps in eliminating depression.
Vigor and well-being
A cold shower in the morning causes an increase in blood circulation and stimulates myocardial contraction. In response, the body produces more energy, which contributes to the rapid awakening and cheerfulness throughout the day.
Healthy hair and skin
Hot water can dry out the skin and hair. As a result, they become dull and lose their elasticity and tone. Under the influence of cold water, metabolism and blood circulation are improved, pores are reduced and hair scales are closed. Hair becomes shiny, more elastic, and the skin acquires its normal tone.
Increasing hormone levels in men
Male gonads - testicles - have a lower temperature than the body. Exposure to high temperatures while taking hot baths adversely affects their functions and impairs the quality and production of sperm. Cold water has the opposite effect on these glands - under its influence, the level rises, the quality of sperm improves, libido increases, and spermatozoa become more capable of fertilization.
If you decide to take a cold shower, then remember that before starting such procedures, you should consult a doctor to exclude all contraindications. After that, you need to prepare your body for contact with low temperatures. For several days, air baths should be taken, gradually increasing their duration. Then proceed to rubdown with a wet towel dipped in cold water and a contrast shower. Only after that you can start taking a cold shower.
Content
The benefits of hardening have been proven for a long time: the procedure helps to strengthen the immune system, improve the condition of the skin and blood vessels. Experienced experts advise taking a cold shower even in winter, and it is better to do it in the morning, then the benefits will be maximum: an invigorating procedure activates metabolic processes and tones the entire body before a working day. However, you should first learn about possible contraindications and hardening rules.
Benefits of a cold shower
A useful procedure is widely used in spa salons to activate blood circulation. At the same time, a cool shower contributes to the saturation of skin cells with water and oxygen, due to which the appearance of the integument improves. In addition, ice water helps fight cellulite, varicose veins, relaxes muscles, and stimulates skin renewal. In addition, a cold shower is very beneficial for the hair, as it strengthens it, makes it more shiny, and prevents dandruff and alopecia. Cool water reduces sebum production, making hair less oily.
An invigorating ice shower stimulates the production of red blood cells and increases the body's resistance to any infections/viruses. The procedure is ideal for the prevention of colds and flu, helps to tone the body and stimulate mental activity. Cold water is an excellent remedy for depression, as it provokes the production of happiness hormones.
For men
Ice water procedures are especially useful for men, as they increase physical strength and activate mental capacity, which occurs due to a surge of adrenaline in the blood. As a result of regular procedures, the following changes occur in the male body:
- the charge of energy increases;
- heart rate increases, blood flow is activated;
- increases the production of testosterone;
- improves the quality of seminal fluid.
For women
An invigorating cool shower stimulates the removal of decay products from the body, which can slow down metabolism. In addition, for women, the procedure is especially useful because it helps to fight fatty nodules under the skin (cellulite). The effect of ice water on the skin is invaluable, it provides a rejuvenating effect, tones the skin, smoothing wrinkles, making stretch marks less noticeable. In addition, it is important for women's health to take contrast showers in order to avoid the development of gynecological diseases.
How to take a cold shower
So that the procedure does not bring harm, you should not immediately start doing long water procedures, standing under an ice stream for 10-15 minutes. It is very important to prepare your own body for douche. To do this, use the following tips:
- the bathroom should have a moderate temperature (it should not be cold);
- the first procedures should be carried out not under ice, but with cool water (32-34 degrees), gradually lowering the temperature indicator;
- the duration of the first procedures should be limited to 1-2 minutes;
- do not immediately stand under a cold stream, it is better to gradually immerse your legs, arms under it, and then the body and face;
- After the procedure, be sure to rub with a towel and do a warming light massage.
In the morning
If it is better to take a warm shower before going to bed, then cool invigorating water procedures are best done in the morning. How to take a cold shower in the morning? Immediately after sleep, ideally, do exercises to warm up the muscles, and after that douse. The total time of the procedure should be 5-8 minutes, but it is better to start tempering from 1-2 minutes. You can put your head under cool water only when you get used to the procedure. After dousing, the skin should be rubbed to a slight reddening with a clean towel made of natural fabric.
For weight loss
During skin contact with cold water, small vessels contract. The body is protected from freezing by activating blood flow, which causes a slight increase in blood pressure. This activates the metabolism and calorie burning process. It is optimal to use a contrast shower for weight loss, in which the water switches from hot to cold every 1-2 minutes. It is worth conducting such sessions 1-2 times a day, starting from an early age.
If you often get sick with a cold, accompanied by a runny nose, then you should slowly lower the temperature regime. Choose the optimal water temperature for yourself within 12-4 degrees. You need to pour over the body from head to toe. If you shower after your workout, it's important to let your body cool down and dry off the sweat. It is impossible to stay under a cold jet for a long time after physical exertion, as this can lead to hypothermia of the body and a cold.
A cold shower is not only an opportunity to cheer up and bring the body back to normal, but also a very healthy habit. It helps to cope with stress, concentrate before the start of a hard day and relieve nervous tension. It is also a great opportunity to get rid of accumulated toxins and even extra pounds. So how to take a cold shower with benefit and how long does it take? We share proven recommendations.
You can definitely wake up under a stream of cool water in the morning. But sometimes the procedure can be harmful, here it is important to follow a few rules:
You can’t plunge your whole body into cold water, especially if it’s hot outside. It is worth gradually entering the water, starting with the legs or arms.
The temperature in the room or room should not be very high. It is better to maintain a comfortable 23 degrees. The second point - after a shower, you can not get into the cold air or wind (you can simply catch a cold).
Cold showers and ice douches are two different things. In the first case, water with a temperature above 33 degrees is considered cold. You can lower it only after developing a habit.
5 Reasons Why You Should Start Taking Cold Showers Today
1. Improves well-being and strengthens willpower
Cold water invigorates, makes the body wake up and prepare for a new day, strengthens willpower, without which nothing can be achieved in life. Have you ever wanted to quit smoking, learn self-control or earn more money? Start with a cold shower in the morning. Strengthening willpower in one activity helps to develop it in others.
2. Sets a good mood for the whole day and teaches concentration
Another benefit is that a cold shower improves blood flow and releases endorphins, which keeps you feeling good all day long. You can immediately carry out breathing exercises and learn concentration. Cool water enhances the effect of meditation, we control our breathing and reactions, so that we gradually forget about past problems and hardships.
3. Burns fat and removes toxins
Improved venous return helps the body detoxify faster, so your body will not only feel cleaner, but much better. The second point - during the bath, brown fats begin to be actively produced, which help burn lipids (it is in them that calories accumulate).
4. Teaches patience
Such a procedure definitely causes discomfort, it is difficult to endure cool water immediately and for so long. Starting small, a person gradually learns to respond correctly to any unpleasant sensations.
5. Reduces stress levels
Correctly responding to any difficulties, we gradually learn to calmly accept all changes, both bad and good. Within a few weeks, you will notice that you have become calmer to react to what is happening and the level of stress has decreased significantly.
How long does it take to get the best effect? Approximately 8 minutes.
A cold shower is a great exercise for developing willpower, and without it you will not achieve anything in life. It is thanks to her that you can quit smoking, learn to control your emotions, eat right, go to bed earlier, earn more, be kinder.
Willpower is like a muscle: to get stronger, it needs to be trained.
In addition, scientists have found that by developing willpower in one area (for example, sticking to a rigid training plan or a financial strategy), we strengthen it in others: we eat less fast food and alcohol, we watch less TV.
To start training, one minute a day is enough. Before getting out of the shower in the morning, simply turn on cold water and stand under it for a minute. Yes, it's annoying, but that's the point. But you will come out of the shower refreshed and focused. By making it a habit, you will strengthen your willpower in all areas of your life.
2. Develops patience
You have to be able to tolerate discomfort. By starting small (for example, not scratching where it itches), you will train yourself not to react to unpleasant physical sensations. And over time, you will transfer this ability to other areas of life. For example, if someone cuts you off on the road, although you will feel an adrenaline rush, you will not let your emotions get the better of you.
What does all this have to do with cold showers? Quite simply, cold showers increase your ability to tolerate discomfort, which in turn reduces stress.
3. Helps you embrace change and be grateful
By strengthening willpower with a cold shower, you develop patience. By becoming more patient, you learn to accept the changes that inevitably come in life. This acceptance is directly related to gratitude. After all, if you do not learn to accept the bad, you will never appreciate the good.
No wonder many meditation practices include. When we focus on our breath, we focus on the present moment.
A cold shower enhances this effect. While we are under cold water, we breathe faster and more often, and our attention simply cannot switch to the past or the future. It focuses on the breath, which is the present.
It turns out that every cold shower is like a short meditation and an opportunity to forget for a while about the problems and anxieties that accompany us every day.
5. Teaches humility
It is good to experience humility. And a cold shower is a great way to give yourself a psychological kick, because everyone is equal before the cold, even the greatest people.
And you need humility. If you take cold showers regularly, within a month or two you will notice changes in yourself: you will become calmer, more energetic, more disciplined. A cold shower will always remind you that you are no better than anyone else, we are all the same. No matter how strong you think you are, the cold can humble anyone.
